Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has expressed deep concern over the increasing number of Indian fishermen being detained by the Sri Lankan Navy, urging the central government to take decisive action to resolve the ongoing issue. In a letter addressed to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday, Stalin highlighted the recent arrest of 32 fishermen on February 23 and called for the formation of a Joint Working Group (JWG) to ensure the safe and secure release of the fishermen and their boats.
The fishermen, who had set out for fishing from the Rameswaram harbour on February 22, were apprehended by Sri Lankan authorities while operating in the waters near the maritime boundary. Stalin pointed out that this incident is part of a growing trend, with the Tamil Nadu fishermen being increasingly targeted by the Sri Lankan Navy despite repeated requests for action from the Indian government.
“I write this letter with a sense of deep anguish as the number of incidents of apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy has risen alarmingly in recent times. In the latest incident, 32 fishermen were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on February 23 along with their five mechanised fishing boats,” Stalin wrote.
The Tamil Nadu CM further noted that this was not an isolated incident, as 119 fishermen and 16 boats had been detained by the Sri Lankan Navy in just eight separate incidents this year alone. Stalin reiterated that the escalating arrests were taking a severe toll on the livelihoods of local fishermen and their families.
“The apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy are continuing in large numbers in spite of my repeated requests to prevail upon the Sri Lankan Government to prevent such arrests. In this year alone, 119 fishermen and 16 boats have been apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy in eight separate incidents,” the letter read.
Stalin stressed the urgency of forming the Joint Working Group to address the issue and prevent further harm to the livelihoods of the affected families. He urged Jaishankar to use diplomatic channels to press the Sri Lankan government to put an end to the frequent detentions of Tamil Nadu fishermen, calling for a permanent solution to the longstanding issue.
“I once again reiterate my earlier request to convene the Joint Working Group immediately to find a permanent solution to this long-pending issue. This is especially crucial since the livelihoods of our fishermen families are impacted severely due to these apprehensions,” Stalin concluded in his letter.
